I. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to wireless communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to data communication between remote computer devices across a wireless network.
II. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communications technology evolves rapidly. Not long ago, when wireless communication devices, such as mobile telephones, first appeared on the market, they all used analog technology. One analog technology used is Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). Initially, communication between a wireless handset and a base station (BS) is based on frequency division multiplex access (FDMA) technology, and the number of particular users in a communication cell is limited by the number of available channels. Now, the same communication can use different technologies, such as time division multiplex access (TDMA), code division multiplex access (CDMA), or global system for mobile communications (GSM). The analog technology is in many places being replaced by digital technology. The wireless devices therefore communication voice and data in packets across the digital network.
With increasing number of users using wireless communications, the number of different types of wireless devices has also increased substantially. Now there are hundreds of models of mobile telephone devices available on the market, and some of the telecommunication service providers even offer their own private models. Currently little information is passed between a wireless device and a cellular base station, often solely enough information to synchronize the necessary timing signals for data packet communication. And in many instances, the wireless device is nothing more than a display device that receives instructions from the base station. With introduction of more modern wireless devices that are equipped with advanced capabilities, there is increasing need for the service providers to learn more about the capabilities of the wireless devices used by their subscribers in order to deliver better services.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method for wireless service providers to learn about the capabilities of the wireless devices that interact with the base stations. Such system and method should provide adequate capability data to the service provider, yet not interfere with wireless device functionality or increase manufacturing complexity of the device. It is thus to such a system and method for communication wireless device capabilities that the present invention is primarily directed.